I'm Thinking

1.) I'm so thankful for Beckah Shae and Misty Edwards.  These beautiful women are so in love with Jesus.  I wanna be like them when I grow up.  Their music helps me stay on track in my thought life - their phenomenal voices are just a plus.

 



2.) BJ Higgins was a winner.  Reading I Would Die For You, the book his parents wrote about his short but impactful life, brings me to tears.  His willingness and obedience inspire me so much.  I an learning to listen at all times, knowing that God can use me whenever, wherever, and however He pleases.  I want to live and die for His glory!  Check out prayforbj.com.





3.) I need someone to go to the movies with me.  What have y'all seen lately?  I've been told Monster's University was awesome.  What about Man of Steel?  Opinions, people



4.) Ultimate Faith Challenge is gonna be awesome.  I'm headed to Moberly to take part in the youth internship at Family Life Fellowship, where my parents went to church before they had me.  It will be a week of serving and encountering God!  I'm thinking you guys will get a glimpse of my journal entries when I get back?  I'm sho exshited. :) I'm also still trying to come up with a legit reason to take my boots with me...

 



5.) The third addition to Michaela's family of Abort73.com t-shirts has finally arrived.  They call this color Sangria.  My vocabulary is officially enlarged.  I look forward to the many opportunities Father will bring my way through this shirt.  God, end abortion and bring revival to America.

Cry Out

²⁷ But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”  ²⁸ And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.”  ²⁹ So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. ³⁰ But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”  ³¹ And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

-Matthew 14:27-31

 

via

 

   What if Peter hadn't cried out?  What if he would've accepted defeat?  What if he would've been to proud or embarrassed to ask for help?  So many times we step out in faith, believing God will help us do something, only to end up operating in our own strength.  We take our eyes off Him, and as soon as we do we start sinking fast.

   Because we've been going it alone, we think we have to save ourselves.  Our brains go into overdrive.  Why did I ever try this in the first place?  What a stupid idea.  Now look at this mess.  How am I ever going to fix this?  All of a sudden we're flapping our arms, trying to breathe, but running out of air, feeling so helpless.  We are sinking.  We are drowning.

   And all the while Jesus stands in front of us, love in His eyes, waiting for us to ask for help.  We don't have to fix ourselves, save ourselves, clean up after ourselves.  Cry out to Him.  Humble yourself.  Ask for help.  He will grab you by the hand, pull up out of the crashing waves, and watch you take baby steps.  With Him, you can walk on the water.  Cry out to Him.

 

Winners

   There are certain people who just exude awesomeness.  People whom I consider quotable role models.  True winners.  These are some of those people.

• The rebel trumpeter in Shrek 2

Sorry it's in Spanish. :/ Apparently English-speakers don't appreciate him as much as I do.  But you still get the point.  We were watching Shrek 2 yesterday and I literally yelled out, "Winner!" as soon as I saw this.

• Michele Perry

 

Michele left America to take care of orphans in Sudan, giving up "normal" for the supernatural.  God as taught all about love and redemption.  Her book Love Has a Face touched my heart on so many levels.  I reccomend it to all of you.  Michele will make you feel like a winner.

• The Skit Guys

This video made me tear up twice.  Once from laughing so hard, and again from the overwhelming message of God's power and love.  I love everything the Skit Guys do, and this is one of my favorites, so you know I've been quoting it all week.  "Don't touch!!!"

• Whoever came up with these pranks.  And the people brave enough to carry them out.



• Trick Shot Titus

He's just a little toddler. And yes, he has the same name as my bro. 

• This 10-year-old girl

Depth? It was like she tore herself open and gave us a glimpse of her soul. Jus' sayin'.

 

   So live. Love. Laugh. Be a winner.

Fear Cast Out

   Can you tell me why you're so afraid?  You would never admit it to anyone else, but I know you.  I know you're hiding out.  I know you're stuffing your feelings way down inside, hoping against hope that no one will notice.  But I notice you. 
   I know that you are terrified.  You have masked your fears so well that you can't even identify them yourself.  "Are you scared?" "Psshhh, what is there to be scared of?"  But darling, I see you.  You are so afraid of being afraid that you will do whatever it takes to hide the trepidation.  But I know you.
   You are so apprehensive about love.  Fearful of never discovering the man created to complete you - of never being discovered.  You're terrified of becoming Eponine, on your own, watching him shower another with what has been your deepest desire.  Scared, heart breaking just thinking about it, of loving one man all your life, but never receiving his love in return. 
   You're petrified of not finding what I have for you.  You can't stand the thought of being wrong; of spending your life doing good things at bad times; of finally listening to what I have to say, only to misinterpret my words.  Fearful of missing out on the best parts of life.  You are scared to death of tripping, of falling, of getting lost.  But my love, I have already found you.
   I love you more than anyone ever would, ever could.  I have a plan for you - hope and a future for you.  Every good and perfect thing comes from me, and the things I have in store for you are beyond yoru wildest dreams, beyond what you could ever imagine.  I have promised you the desires of your heart, and while your head may think it knows what your heart wants, I know you.  I will give you what your soul longs for.
   I loved you before you loved me back, and I will never, ever stop.  You will never be on your own.  You have been so afraid, but my love is perfect.  I will fill you up with so much love that there will never be room for fear.
   I love you more than human words can express.

~God

with no words left.

i had words. sentences. paragraphs.  floating through my head. piling up.  running out of room in my  brain. 
i sit down to write and they flee. running into each other. forming a jumbled mess. 
my heart. chock-full of undefineable emotions. 
my soul. taken over by innumerable feelings and thoughts. 
me. overwhelmed. 
writing. my escape route. blocked off.